A release device for a high-viscosity, in particular gel-like, active substance preparation, in particular for domestic hygiene applications such as in a toilet bowl (water-closet or “WC”) or the like, is provided herein, including a release device in which the gel-like active substance preparation is not yet located and a release device including the gel-like active substance preparation contained therein.
High-viscosity, in particular gel-like active substance preparations have long been known for cleaning and/or disinfecting and/or fragrancing in particular sanitary articles such as toilet bowls (DE 100 48 887 A1). Such high-viscosity active substance preparations are viscous gel-like to pasty active substance compositions that are applied from a corresponding container, the release device, directly onto the surface of the sanitary article and adhere there and are only rinsed off completely after a relatively large number of flushes. As a result of the direct adhesion of the active substance preparation to the surface of the sanitary article, it is not necessary to provide additional containers, or “toilet baskets”, which have to remain in the sanitary article, in particular therefore the toilet bowl. Specifically, use thereof is sometimes regarded as unhygienic by the consumer in particular when replacing the product and when cleaning the toilet.
Similar problems as arise with toilet bowls also arise in other fields of application, for example in urinals, in hand basins or washbasins, in industrial washbasins, dishwashing machines etc. One particular application for release devices with such high-viscosity, in particular gel-like, active substance preparations is under the rims of toilet bowls.
To apply the high-viscosity, in particular gel-like, active substance preparation to the surface to be cleaned or flushed with flush water during flushing, a suitable applicator, i.e., a corresponding release device, is used. To this end, application methods from other fields can be used, for example release devices for pasty active substance preparations in the field of sealing and adhesive technology. In this field it is known to store the active substance preparation in a cartridge, which is provided with an application tip. The cartridge is inserted into a piston/cylinder arrangement. A feed piston contained in the cartridge with the active substance preparation and formed by the bottom thereof is forced by the feed end face of the piston of the piston/cylinder arrangement towards the application tip. In the process the active substance preparation is forced out of the application tip onto the application region.
Such a piston/cylinder arrangement, operating like a syringe, is also suitable, if correctly dimensioned, as a release device for the relevant high-viscosity, in particular gel-like, active substance preparations of this field of application (DE 100 48 887 A1; WO 02/26925 A1; DE 198 26 293 A2; WO 99/66017 A; WO 99/66021 A1). With such a “basket-less” release device for the active substance preparation for example for a toilet bowl, the single-handed actuation possible with a syringe-like design is convenient. An operator then has the other hand free, to support him- or herself for example against the wall while leaning over the toilet bowl to apply the active substance preparation in the toilet bowl.
To prevent unhygienic contact between parts of the body and the edge of the toilet bowl, a convenient dimensioning of the release device, i.e., a slender, somewhat elongated design of the receiving cylinder is convenient, in particular for under-rim application.
The problem underlying the teaching is that of configuring and further developing the known release device configured as a syringe-like piston/cylinder arrangement for a high-viscosity, in particular gel-like, active substance preparation in such a way that it is improved with regard to handling and in particular with regard to the aesthetic appearance of the gel body applied to a surface.